Electric-current generator.



J. M. WILSON.

ELEGTRIG CURRENT GENERATOR.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v F. (lgowwl )Vitxwosco: MMM NM 1 9/ I I r v. M. WILSON. ELEMTFOUBRBNTGENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1911.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

3 SKEETB-SHEET 2.

James 77?, 3513 In (l Momma J. M. WILSON. ELECTRIC CURRENT GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. l, 1911.

2 1M Hm W N 3 or SR MAL d m a n Sm m Wm t L P m6 0 wane/wee:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. WILSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL C0,, NEWARK, NEW J ER SEY, A CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

NEW

ELECTRIC-CURRENT GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

Application filed February 1, 1911. Serial No. 605,88.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. WILSON, a. citizen of the United States,and resident of New York city, borough of Bronx, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements 'in Electric-Current Generators, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric generators of thedirect current class, and the invention has for its object to provide animproved form of direct current generator adapted to. being driven atvariable rates of speed, such as on automobiles and launches, inconnection with internal combustion engines, and self-controlling itssupply of current to the working circuit according to requirements.

In carrying out my invention I provide two sources of field energy inconnection with one armature, comprising, primarily, permanent magnetsand pole pieces, secondarily, a wound field and pole pieces, the twosources of field energy being magnetically divided on a non-magneticbase so as to primarily be independent of each other, but united intheir magnetic action through such armature. I also provide means inconnection with the wound field for the purpose of self controlling theelectrical output of said armature according to requirements.

My invention also comprises novel details of improvementand'combinations of arts that will be more fully hereinafter set orthand then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,wherein,

Figure 1 is a partly sectional elevation of a generator embodying myimprovements,

illustrated in connection with an ignition. and li hting circuit for anautomobile or boat, the section being taken on the line 1, 1, in Fig. 3;Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2, 2, in' Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3, 3, in Fig. 2Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the generator illustrating the field coiland its pole pieces in a different position from that shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, and also illustrating resistance devices in the line circuitcontrolled by said field coil; Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4.- partsbeing omitted;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a field coil pole piece, and Fig. 7 is adetail view of the movable member of the resistance device.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

The numeral 1 indicates permanent magnets of any suitable form providedwith suitablepole pieces 2, shown mounted upon the non-magnetic base 8,between which pole pieces the armature 41-. rotates in usual man ner. InFigs. 1, 2, 3 I have shown'pole pieces 1 having pole faces 2 locatedbetween magnets 1 and their pole pieces 2, while in Figs. 1 and 51 haveshown the magnets 1 and their pole pieces 2 adjacent while the polepieces 1 2 are at one side of the magnets 1. The pole pieces 1 aresecured on the non-magnetic base 3 and are magnetically separated frompermanent magnet pole pieces 2, and are utilized to form a magneticfield for the armature, as hereinafter explained. It will be understoodthat the generator is not limited to any particular number of magnetsand pole pieces. The armature 1 may be of any suitable type of directcurrent armature, having commutator i, and brushes 5, 5

At 6 is a field coil having a plurality of windings upon a yoke 7uniting the pole pieces 1.

The working circuit a starting from brush 5 connects with post a,passing thence through series winding 6* to post 9, thence by conductora through switch 10 and battery 8, through conductor a to ground as atb, (on the generator) and from ground through the closed contacts 12?and 13 of regulator 12, thence by conductor a to binding post 9, andthence to brush 5 and through the armature to brush 5, so that when thecontacts 12*, 13 at regulator 12 are closed the battery will be chargedby the generator. The regulator 12 is controlled by shunt winding 6* offield coil 6 in conjunction with core 7 and pole pieces 1, the circuitfor winding 6 being in direct shunt to the armature and shown asfollows: from brush 5 through conductor to post at, thence through coil6 and conductor a to post 9, thence to brush 5 and through the armatureto brush 5", The arrangement is such that at a substantiallypredetermined relatively low speed of rotation of the armature therewill not be suiiicient current through the coil 6 to cause attraction ofcontact 12 by armature 12 and pole extensions 14, 14 of regulator 12 toclose the working circuit at 12", 13, and thus at such speed of thearmature there will be no current from the armature in the workingcircuit. When the armature speeds up the magnetic leakage from the polepieces 2 will 19 cause armature 12 to be attracted by the poleprojections 14, 14 and close the working circuit at 12*, 13, andthereupon current from the armature will be supplied to the batterythrough the working circuit and its 15 winding 6 before mentioned. Atsuch time the current in the series winding 6 maintains the'magneticaction in the pole pieces 1 to a greater degree than maintained throughthe winding 6", and keeps the circuit closed at regulator 12, eventhough less current than before flows through series winding 6 Duringsuch speed of the armature above the aforesaid predetermined point, thecurrent of the working circuit charges the battery, but when the'speedof rotation of the armature falls below such point and the magneticleakage in the pole pieces 1 is not suflicient to maintain the circuitclosed at the regulator against the action of its spring 12, the workingcircuit will be broken at 12 18, and the battery will not be furthercharged until the armature again speeds up. The cont-act 13 of theregulator is shown insulated from its 5 projecting pole piece 14, andthe regulator is shown provided with a suitable screw 15, carried byprojecting pole piece 14-, to regulate the tension of spring 12 asrequired.

By having the permanent magnets 1 and 40 the field coil 6 with its polepieces 1 in proper relation to the same armature, I amenabled to producea generator of relatively small compass and adapted to relatively largeelectric output, the same being adapted to be placed in locations, suchas in connection with automobile gas engines, where preparation has beenmade for relatively small sized magnetos, as distinguished from directcurrent generators with ring-type fields which make them unsuitable fora position in places that this generator can be adapted to, owing to thefact that the armature shaft in my improved generator may be setrelatively lower than in the generators referred to.

In addition to illustrating the working circuit as including a battery Ihave shown the generator as adapted also to supply current for anignition circuit for aninternal combustion engine. This circuit may betraced as follows: from brush 5 through conductor 0 to switch 17,through the primary of induction coil 16 (for the plugs)- and to theinsulated binding post 0 through circuit, breaker 1 8,controlled by thecam 18*,

and thence to ground I), whence the circuit leads to contact 12 ofregulator 12 and through its contact 13 and conductor a including post9, to brush 5, and thence ing circuit is broken at the regulator 12 theignition circuit will be supplied directly from battery 8 as follows:from binding post a, through conductor 0, switch 17, the primary of coill6, post 0* and circuit breaker 18 to w, thence through conductor a andthe battery, through switch 10 and conductor a to binding post 9, thencethrough series winding 6 back to post a through conductor a. It will beseen that current from the armature divides, as at the binding post afor direct flow through the working circuit from the positive side ofthe generator to the positive side of the battery and through theprimary of the coil, at which time the magnetic action in the field coil6 serves to maintain the circuit closed at regulator 12, during therequired speed of the armature, but when the speed of the armature fallsbelow the required point and the working circuit of the' armature isthereby broken at regulator 12, the current from the battery will flowin the opposite direction through the series winding and working circuitfrom the direction of fiow previous therethrough from the armature aswell as through the shunt winding, and have a tendency to release theregulator at contacts 12*, 13 because of a diminution of magnetism inthe pole pieces 1", caused by such reverse flow.

I have also shown a circuit (Z across the battery including atranslating device, such as a lamp 6 and switch f, whereby the batterymay supply current for lighting as well as forignition. It will beunderstood, however, that the character or number of circuits suppliedfrom my improved generator may be varied as desired.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated armature 12 rotatively operated forthe purpose of introducing resistances or windings into the workingcircuit to maintain a substantially constant potential in the workingcircuit. For this purpose I have shown the conductor a leading to oneterminal of a suitable resistance coil or rheostat 20 connected withsuitable contacts 21 shown carried by a non-magnetic support 22 .andinsulated therefrom and from each other, the support 22 being forconvenience shown connected with non-magnetic bar 23 I (shown partlybroken away in Fig. 4:), the parts 22 and 23 being shown supported bythe pole piece extensions 14, 14, The movable member (armature) 12 ottheregulator is shown pivotally supported upon bar 23 by the rod or bolt 24and its contact 12* normally maintained against stop 25 by a spring 26shown connected at one end with bar 23 and at the other end with member122 the latter being grounded in the circuit. The arrangement is suchthat when the armature 4 rotates at the relatively slow speed beforestated, the working circuit will be broken by the contact 12 being outof engagement with a contact 21, but when said armature speeds up andsupplies sufficient current for the winding 6 of field coil 6 to causethe poles 14., 14 to attract the poles 12 of armature 1%, the contact 12of the latter will engage one or another of the contacts 21 therebythrowing in more or less resistance 20 on the working circuit inaccordance with the current flowing through winding 6 of the field coil,such resistance serving to cut down the flow of current through theworking circuit.

Since the pole pieces 1 are independent of the magnets 1 and their polepieces 2, the generation of current in armature 4 for the winding 6 willbe additional to that derived from the permanent magnets. In otherwords, by means of my improvements I provide two sources of magnetismfor the same armature, one being that derived by reason of the fieldcoil and the other by reason of the permanent magnets, which areindependent of each other magnetically and yet united in their actionthrough one armature. By this arrangement of a wound field and apermanent magnet field, dividing them magnetically one from the other, Ieliminate the possibility of one field using the other as a magneticpath or circuit instead of directing the lines of force through thearmature as they should do and as is desired.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

1. An electric generator comprising a permanent magnet having polepieces, a nonmagnetic base for sald magnet and pole pieces, other polepieces mounted upon said base, a winding correlated with the secondnamed pole pieces and in series in the working circuit of the armature,a regulator for said circuit, and a winding for the second named polepieces in shunt to said armature.

2. An electric generator provided with a permanent magnet and armature,a working circuit for the armature including a series winding, a windingin shunt to said armature, a yoke and pole pieces for said windings, anda regulator for the working circult controlled by the current in theshunt winding.

3; An electric generator provided with a permanent magnet, an armature,a working circuit for the armature including a series winding, a windingin shunt to said armature, a yoke and pole pieces for said windin aregulator for the working circuit controlled by the current in the shuntwinding, and a battery included in the working circuit arranged to causediminution of mag netism in the pole pieces of said windings when theregulator is released by the action of the shunt wind ng.

t. An electric generator comprising a permanent magnet, an armature,pole pieces, a yoke, a plurality of windings on said yoke, one of saidwindings bein in series with the armature in the working circuit, theother Winding being in shunt to the armature and out of the workingcircuit, and a regulator for the working clrcuit normally open until thearmature attains a speed of rotation sufiicient to cause the closing ofthe working circuit through the action of the shunt winding and its polepieces.

5. An electric generator comprising a permanent magnet, a non-magneticbase supporting the same, an armature, pole pieces supported upon saidbase and provided with a yoke, a plurality of windings upon said yoke,one of said windings being 1n series with the working circuit throughthe armature, the other winding being in shunt to the armature and outof the working circuit, a regulator having contacts included'in theworking circuit, said contacts being open at a speed of rotation of thearmature below a substantially predetermined point, said pole pieceshaving poles coacting with the armature of the regulator for attractingsaid armature when the first named armature speeds up above saidpredetermined point and supplies the required current in said shuntwinding.

6. An electric generator comprising a permanent magnet having polepieces, an armature, a yoke provided with pole pieces adjacent thearmature, a plurality'of windings upon said yoke, one of said windingsbeing included in series in the working circuit from the armature, theother winding being in shunt to the armature, a regulator for theworking circuit having contacts and an armature, said circuit beingnormally broken at said contacts, said second named pole pieces havingmeans to attract said armature to close said circuit, whereby theworking circuit will be broken at said contacts when the first namedarmature rotates at a speed below a substantially redetermined point andmagnetic leakage rom the pole pieces of the shunt winding will cause theregulator armature to close the working circult when the armature speedsup above said predetermined point.

7. An electric generator provided with a permanent magnet, an armature,a working circuit for the armature including a series or less resistanceon the working circuit as 10 winding, a winding in shunt to said armathearmature changes speeds. ture, a yoke and pole pieces for said wind-Signed at New York city, in the county ings, and a regulator for theworking circuit of New York, and State of New York, tnis 5 controlled bythe current in the shunt wind- 30th day of January, A. D. 1911.

ing, and a resistance for the Working cir- JAMES M. WILSON. cuit havinga plurality of contacts insulated Witnesses: from each other to beengaged by the mov- T. F. BoURNE,

able contact of the regulator 'to throw more HERMAN HERsr, J r.

